A Dire Appeal For Nigerian Government Action As Bandit Attacks Spread From Kainji Park Into Several Border Regions

 

Kainji National Park now stands at the centre of a widening security emergency as Jafaru Mohammad Ali, the representative of Borgu and Agwara Federal Constituency in Niger State, announces that armed groups have taken full control of the once celebrated conservation area. His revelation follows the latest attempt on his life, which he narrowly escaped during a violent ambush that claimed multiple lives.

A cloud of fear hangs over communities surrounding the park as residents recount constant raids, abductions, and forced displacements. Ali described the situation as a heartbreaking reality where rangers have been chased out of their duty posts, official buildings have been occupied, and facilities previously meant for tourism are now being used as operational bases by the invading militants. According to him, free movement within and around the park has become impossible, leaving villagers exposed to unchecked brutality.

A roll call of recent tragedies underscores the scale of the crisis. The most shocking occurred on November twenty one when 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted from St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri. The district had barely recovered from that heartbreak before the November four assault on the lawmaker’s convoy. Earlier on November two, several residents of Gidan Guga were slain during yet another assault traced to criminal groups operating from the park’s interior.

A somber account was given by Ali about the ambush he survived along the Lumma to Babanna route. He recounted how an armed gang stormed the area, leaving one soldier and six civilians dead. The attack, he said, demonstrated the expanding sophistication and confidence of the terrorists, many of whom are believed to be foreign fighters travelling through linked forest corridors into Nigeria.

A plea has now been made to the Chief of Defence Staff to deploy well equipped troops to the affected areas. Ali stressed the need for establishing Forward Operating Bases in key communities such as Lumma, Audu Fari, Agwara, and Mago, arguing that local security outfits alone cannot withstand the daily assaults. He urged the National Emergency Management Agency and the Refugee Commission to assist those who have fled their homes, many of whom are now living in makeshift settlements after losing their farmlands and belongings.

A further proposal was directed at agricultural authorities, urging them to convert the liberated park area into a protected farming zone once military operations clear out the insurgents. Ali insists that only a comprehensive and sustained response can restore stability to the region.

A final appeal was made directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom the lawmaker described as a longtime friend of the Borgu Emirate. He reminded the president that the people of his constituency stood firmly behind him during the election and now need federal intervention to prevent total collapse of security. His message was simple: the communities do not seek favours or political rewards, but peace and safety for their families.